Aren’t these suits covered by taxpayer dollars? I wish it were only the Defendants personal responsibility. They need skin in the game on such malicious actions
Sadly, the first point is "yes." If the DOJ or US government are named in a civil suit. But if those named in the suit happen to be the individuals who did these things, that's a different ball game. Were I acting pro bono for individuals like this one slandered "under color of law," I would name the individuals as defendants.
Look back to the Democrats' pursuit of Lt. General Flynn. That's a model to follow in the inverse.